The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is Give to Gain, recognising the link between the support people receive and the progress that follows.
Within security and fire, we believe this is reflected in everyday decisions: encouraging technical development and championing colleagues for opportunities that will stretch them. It’s about ensuring women contribute fully to all discussions where their input carries equal weight and respect.
To celebrate the day, we asked four women at Amthal to share what Give to Gain means to them and why this conversation remains so important.
Donna Henderson (DH:) Key Account Coordinator.
Bernadette Ayre (BA:) Key Account Specialist.
Michelle Goodman (MG) Partner Specialist
Lois Plowright (LP): Manager Customer Success.
Their responses are shared below.
- How do you see the idea of “Give to Gain” in your own life or work?
DH: In my role as a Customer Service Consultant in the fire and security industry, ‘Give to Gain’ really resonates with me. Every day I give my time, patience and understanding to customers who may be stressed or dealing with urgent situations. By giving reassurance and genuinely listening, I gain trust, stronger relationships, and a sense of purpose in my work. I also see it within my team. When we share knowledge and support each other, we all grow in confidence and capability.”
BA: First time I have heard of the term, but in general I always try to help wherever I can.
MG: As Partner Specialist dealing with subcontractors and specialist service providers, ‘Give to Gain’ shows up in how I build relationships. When I take the time to understand a subcontractor’s perspective rather than just chasing deadlines, I gain understanding, stronger trust, and fewer issues down the line. This creates an open and honest environment to speak up, giving clarity and realistic timeframes.
LP: In customer support, “Give to Gain” shows up every day. I give my time, patience, and reassurance, especially when someone is stressed because their security system isn’t working. When I genuinely listen and go the extra mile, I gain trust, loyalty, and stronger relationships. For me, it’s about creating confidence and reliability. The more I invest in helping others feel secure, the more trust and respect naturally come back.
- Please can you share a moment when helping another woman ended up helping you too in ways you didn’t expect?
DH: I once supported a newer female colleague who was feeling unsure about speaking up in meetings. I encouraged her to share her ideas and reminded her of the value she brought to the team. Over time, watching her confidence grow inspired me to step outside my own comfort zone as well. It made me realise that empowering someone else often reflects on you. It strengthens your own belief and leadership without you even realising it.
MG: I once supported a female subcontractor who was hesitant to raise concerns about an unrealistic timeline because she didn’t want to be seen as difficult. By creating a space where she felt safe to be honest, providing reassurance and backing her in the room, we addressed the issue early and provided an accurate picture of what was achievable to meet customer expectations.
LP: I once supported a newer female colleague who felt unsure handling a particularly difficult client situation. I walked her through it, shared how I structure conversations, and reassured her that confidence grows with experience. A few months later, I found myself facing a time sensitive issue, and she stepped in without hesitation to help me. It reminded me that support isn’t one-directional. When you lift someone up, you’re often building a support system you didn’t even realise you’d need.
- What’s one often overlooked way women supporting each other makes a real difference?
DH: One of the most powerful impacts happens quietly, behind the scenes. It’s not always the big public gestures that matter most. It’s the subtle encouragement, the honest reassurance, or someone simply saying, ‘You handled that brilliantly.’ Those moments may seem small, but they strengthen confidence, build resilience, and reinforce self belief.
BA: Mentoring a colleague through tricky client calls actually sharpened my own approach to handling difficult conversations.
MG: One overlooked impact is confidence reinforcement. When one woman speaks with assurance, it gives permission for others to do the same. In coordination roles, this matters enormously. Women backing each other in meetings, discussions, or negotiations quietly shifts the tone and raises standards without confrontation.
LP: The quiet confidence-building and celebrating small wins. It’s not always about big, public gestures, sometimes it’s a quick message like, “You handled that really well,” or backing someone up in a meeting. Those small affirmations can completely change how someone sees their own abilities, especially in industries like security that are traditionally male-dominated.
- What’s something you wish people understood better about women lifting each other up?
DH I wish people understood that women supporting each other isn’t about excluding anyone. It’s about creating balance. It’s about recognising shared experiences and making sure no one feels isolated. When women lift each other up, it strengthens the whole workplace, not just the women within it.
BA: It’s not about being perfect or having all the answers, it’s about supporting someone whose struggles you recognise.
MG: It’s not about favouritism. It’s about equality. Women supporting women often means sharing information, explaining unwritten rules, or offering context others may already have access to. This leads to level playing fields and improves outcomes overall.
LP: That it’s not about excluding anyone or creating division. It’s about strengthening confidence, sharing knowledge, and making space for more voices. Support doesn’t take away from others, it adds to the whole environment.
- Looking ahead, what kind of support makes the biggest impact for the next generation of women?
DH: Visible role models and open conversations make the biggest impact. Seeing women succeed in industries like fire and security shows younger generations that there are no limits to where they can thrive. Mentorship, encouragement to speak up, and normalising ambition are all incredibly powerful.
BA: Higher standards for maternity pay so women can have families without career or salary penalties, with proactive mentorship around navigating both.
MG: The most impactful support will be visible role models in coordination and leadership roles, early encouragement to speak up in technical and operational spaces, and managers who trust competence without needing constant proof. Creating environments where women don’t feel they have to over prepare just to be heard will make a lasting difference.
LP: Mentorship and visible role models. Seeing women in leadership, technical, and decision-making roles within industries like security sends a powerful message. But beyond that, sharing experience, giving honest advice, and helping build resilience makes a difference.
- If you could offer one simple act of giving to someone else, what would it be and why?
DH: I would offer genuine encouragement. Sometimes all someone needs is for another person to recognise their effort and potential. A few kind, sincere words can change how someone sees themselves and that can have a lasting impact.
BA: Really listening without jumping to fix things. Sometimes women just need to be heard, not for a solution to be solved.
MG: I’d offer advocacy in the room they’re not in. Speaking positively about someone’s work when they’re not present, especially in male dominated or high pressure environments, opens doors and builds reputations that women are too often expected to build alone.”
LP: Active listening and giving your time. In customer support, I’ve learned that people often just want to feel heard before anything else. Whether it’s a colleague or a client, taking the time to truly listen can reduce stress, build trust, and create connection. It costs nothing but attention, yet it has huge impact. In such a fast-paced world, choosing to slow down for someone is often the most meaningful thing you can give.
- Why is International Women’s Day still important today?
DH: International Women’s Day is still important because progress doesn’t mean the work is finished. There are still industries, leadership spaces, and conversations where women’s voices need to be strengthened. The lesson I carry forward is resilience. The women before us pushed boundaries so we could have more opportunities today. It reminds me not to take those opportunities for granted and to continue creating space for those who come next.
BA: Though great work has been done in the last 115 years in reducing the pay gap between men and women, we are still hugely disadvantaged, with women retiring with 35 to 36 percent less pension wealth than men on average.
MG: International Women’s Day remains important because many industries, including the security systems industry, are still evolving in terms of inclusion and recognition. For progress to happen women need to support each other consistently, not just symbolically. Every fair decision, every voice backed, and every opportunity shared creates safer, more collaborative working environments where speaking up, being seen and being valued is the norm.
LP: It’s still important because progress doesn’t mean completion. While opportunities have improved, representation, pay equity, and confidence barriers still exist in many industries. The biggest lesson I carry forward is resilience, change happens because women consistently supported one another, spoke up, and kept going. That collective strength is what continues to drive progress today.